1 Comment Written by Ezzzy on October 27, 2009 – 1:00 pm

Mel Kadel is an L.A artist who had a chat to me about such things as leg wrestling, cotton boxers and her latest body of work which she is wowing the world with.

More of Mel’s work can be seen and purchased on her amazing webpage (check out her Gocco-printed zines with other amazing artists) and also some images from her recent solo exhibition at FFDG (Fecal Face Gallery San Francisco, L.A) titled Echo Test.

1. For those who are unfamiliar with your work, tell us a little about yourself and your art practices.
I’m a girl, but occasionally get mistaken for a boy.  I’ve been living in Los Angeles, CA. for about 10 years, but was raised on the east coast of the U.S. in a suburban town.
Travis Millard and I live together and spend most of our days wandering around each other at home, working on different projects.

2. Art school?
I did go to art school.  Actually, I went to two.  I dropped out of the first one, after only one semester.  It seemed like I was too young or confused to be in, or paying for, such a loose education.  After some time away from it, I realised how much I wanted to try it again.  So, i slapped myself in the face and chose another school in Philadelphia.
I’m glad I did, but am still unsure whether art school is a good choice.  It’s just one way to to experiment, but it totally depends on what you do with it. Unlike most higher education, I don’t think a degree from an art school does much for you.

3. Did you set goals towards becoming a professional artist or was it something that evolved over time?
I just always worked really hard at making drawings and projects without a ton of expectation, but it’s not a job that you get, and then you have forever.  So, in some ways, I feel like I’m in the same situation that I was in 15 years ago.  Early on, If anything positive came out of what i was doing, then I sort of bottled that feeling and tried to make it happen again.
The goals are still evolving.

4. How would you describe your work to someone?
They are drawings made with very very small pens, and sometimes colorful ink wash, on top of heavy coffee-soaked paper. There is often a girl or group of girls challenging and conquering whatever comes near them, mixed in with a lot of patterns.

5. Travis Millard told me I can have his Gocco printer if I leg-wrestle him in the front yard. Are you willing to accept this challenge on my behalf? You may keep the printer if you win.
Oh yeah, I’m in on that challenge.  It’s possibly a win-win situation because Gocco’s are dying! It’s nearly impossible to find supplies. Our yard is great for leg wrestling.  We do it all the time.

6. Your latest work blows me away. So much colour, shape and movement that reminds me of looking into a kaleidoscope, but with the addition of a figure or figures. Tell me a bit about the ideas behind your latest body of work.
Thanks.  I just like working with a lot of colour lately, and want to tie the figures in with their surroundings more. The patterns are starting to dominate the page, and I’m into that serving a narrative more than it use to in my drawings.

7. What would be two pieces of advice you wish you knew when you were emerging as an artist?
Believe in your stuff more than you think anyone else does, and don’t mind what’s “cool”.

8. Favorite material?
Paper, pens, ink.

9. Boxers or briefs?
Cotton boxers with a Hawaiian pattern on them.

10. Inspiration?
People close to me, in my life, in my neighborhood.  We’re all so tied up and on common ground, so I guess it’s just people that inspire me.